Over the course of my life, I've encountered dozens of sports coaches. From teams throughout my childhood to CrossFit coaches as an adult to the coaches who now interact with my own children.

And as I look back over the years of engaging with not only sports coaches but also restaurant managers, it becomes apparent that the most successful ones share several common attributes. In fact, managers who can get into the coach mindset have an unparalleled advantage — in my experience, one of the single most important competencies that separates highly effective managers from average ones is an ability to coach and mentor their employees.

Here's a rundown of the attributes commonly shared by influential managers and coaches.

They believe anything is possible.

While it's likely always been this way, in today's world it feels even more important to dream big, deep, and wide. The top managers and coaches live by the creed, "If you can dream it, you can do it" — both for themselves as well as their crew.

They truly understand their game (aka business).

Managers know their business front, back, and sideways just like coaches know the rules of the game by heart. They both have a solid grasp on the abilities, strengths, and weaknesses of the team and use this information to form a plan of action. They play to each person's strengths and support them in areas of struggle.

They have the confidence to be themselves.

Great coaches and managers almost always have "people person" personalities, easily attracting teammates due to their approachable nature and confidence in handling any situation that comes their way. This confidence shouldn't be mistaken for arrogance though — managers and coaches are willing to learn and make a point to garner lessons from others' wins and losses and incorporate those into their game plan.

They are energetic and work hard consistently.

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